1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the preparation and use of novel viscosifier systems which are added to drilling and completion fluids used in oil and gas drilling operations. More particularly the present invention relates to solar solvent-in-oil emulsions which are specially prepared and mixed with high concentrations of conventional viscosifiers increasing their effectiveness.
2. Description of Prior Art
Special fluids called drilling and completion fluids are used in the drilling of oil and gas well. These fluids are essential to drilling operations as they perform a variety of important functions. For example, drilling fluids cool and lubricate drill bits and pipe; prevent damage to producing formations; suspend and remove cuttings from wells; and generally clean out wells. The most effective drilling fluids consist of concentrated salt solutions such as sodium chloride or calcium chloride. These salt solutions or brines may be used alone when drilling shallow wells or in combination with insoluble weighting materials for deep well drilling. In order to maintain the high formation pressure of deep wells, insoluble weighting materials have been added to the drilling solutions. Unfortunately, use of these insoluble weighting materials can present serious problems during completion operations. The insoluble materials can reduce or destroy the permeability of the producing zone by filtering into the formation and impeding the flow of the oil and gas. In recent years, "solids-free" salt and water solutions which have density ranges between 10 and 19.2 pounds per gallon ("lb./gal.") have been developed for deep well drilling. These brines generally require the addition of viscosifiers and other additives to be thoroughly effective. By adding viscosifiers to the brine solutions their ability to suspend and remove cuttings from the well is increased and significant loss of fluids to the formation is prevented.
As disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,336,146 and 4,110,230, natural polymers such as guar gum, hydroxypropyl guar, xanthan gum, carboxymethyl cellulose and hydroxyethyl cellulose can be used as viscosifiers when brine solutions are in the 10-19.2 lb./gal. density range. See also Chatterji J. and Borchart J. K.; J. Pet. Tech. 2042-2056 (1981). By far the most commonly used viscosifier for brines in the 10-19.2 lb./gal. density range is hydroxyethyl cellulose or "HEC".
The method of addition of HEC and other hydrophilic polymers to brines is very important. If the dry polymer is added to the brine solution without manipulation, the interior of the polymer will not hydrate and the polymer will be prevented from effectively viscosifying the brine. U.S. Pat. No. 4,459,214 and U.K. Pat. No. 2,086,923B disclose a partial resolution to the solvation problem. These patents propose addition of polar organic solvents such as ethylene glycol, propylene glycol and dimethylformamide to the polymer-brine mixtures to increase solvation of the polymer and, therefore, its ability to viscosify brine solutions.
This method of solvation, however, is not completely satisfactory since only about 10 weight percent ("wt. %") of polymer can be dissolved in these polar solvents without insoluble gel formation, whereas liquid viscosifiers containing higher concentrations of polymer are required in order to properly viscosify brine solutions in the 10-19.2 lb./gal. density range with minimum density reduction. Further, when dissolved polymer is left to stand for any extended period (such as 30 days or more), phase separation occurs leading to the formation of a rubbery mass which severly curtails the viscosifier's effectiveness. Moreover, polymer-organic solvent solutions are rarely "pourable" making them difficult to use.
Treatment of viscosifier-brine solutions with high temperature, high shear, and long mixing times has also been found to be effective in increasing solvation of hydrophilic polymer and thus viscosity. Unfortunately, these methods are both expensive and time consuming.
The present invention has for its primary object obtaining a solution to the solvation problem without the necessity of using high temperatures, high shear or long mixing times, while permitting a high concentration of polymer to be dissolved in the brine solutions.
It is thus an object of the present invention to develop a viscosifier system for concentrated salt solutions in the density range of 10-19.2 gal./lb., or 1.05-2.30 g/cc which contains 20-40 wt. % hydrophilic polymer.
Another object of the present invention is to create a "pourable" viscosifier system.
A further object of the invention is to produce a viscosifier system with a minimum shelf live of 6 months which has minimal phase separation.
An additional object of the invention is to create a viscosifier system which yields a minimum funnel viscosity of 200 sec at a concentration of 10 lb./bbl., or greater, within 60 min. at room temperature and low shear.
Another object of the invention is to develop a viscosifier system which is safe to use in all drilling and completion operations with no adverse effects.
Further objects and uses of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description of the invention and the claims.